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Arms wrapped around his sparkling, the mech vented out a quiet sigh. The golden youngling continued to sleep, digits clicking against his plating for just a nano-klik before they came to rest again. His door wings moved slightly, alert even in his sleep.
The mech didn’t know if that was a warframe thing, a doorwing thing, or simply because all the sparkling had ever known was war. An asleep mech was a dead mech, and the youngling had been alone for so long…
But, then again, perhaps it was just one of his youngling’s many quirks. He was so lively when he was awake, it seemed like he would never slow down. In recharge, it made sense that he would remain fidgety.
Pedesteps approaching made the mech raise his helm, spotting his eldest friend come out of the elevator that opened right onto the roof. Ratchet’s optic ridges were furrowed, but they slightly loosened at the sight of the mech.
“███████,” Ratchet called out, voicing his name but not really, something distant and wrong. “I thought I would find you up here.”
“Yes.” The mech responded, tilting back so that Ratchet could see his youngling. “My office invites too much attention. We needed a respite.”
“Should I leave?” Ratchet asked, but he already knew the answer would be a negative by the way his gait quickened as he crossed the rooftop.
“Of course not.” The mech smiled, shifting needlessly to the side as Ratchet settled down next to him. Ratchet reached out to rub his digits over the youngling’s helm, and in his sleep the mech pressed into him. “You are always welcome at my side.”
“How is he?” Ratchet inquired, fondling the plating gently. His optics untensed at the sight of the youngling, even though he had been one of the loudest naysayers, trying everything possible to convince the mech against adopting the youngling. Unfortunately for Ratchet, the sparkling had wiggled his way into his spark as well. “Any regrets so far?”
“No!” The mech responded quickly, smokestacks letting out a whistle of annoyance. “He is perfect. He is everything I wanted and more. I do not understand how I can possibly love him so much, and still feel inept.”
“Sparklings have a way of doing that.” Ratchet said, bumping his elbow against the mech. “They’re like a parasite. Latching themselves on and taking everything and all you have–”
“I think I am quite done discussing this with you.” The mech deadpanned, shifting away the youngling from Ratchet’s touch. “If you are only here to insult him, perhaps you should go!”
“I’m teasing, ███████.” Ratchet huffed, reinserting himself into their folds, moving to hold the sparkling’s servo. “I know he’s not like that. I’ve seen you. Ever since you got him, you’re like a different mech. Or… not quite. It’s like you’re Orion again, and you’re finally able to have some of that stress lifted from your pauldrons. You seem happy.”
The mech jolted, the sound of his name-not-name filling his audials, finally able to seize onto the name before it melted away to the back of his processor. “Yes,” he said quietly, looking down at his sparkling. “I… I am happy.”
“The kid’s happy, too.” Ratchet said. “You can see it. He’s a far cry away from the leaking, dying sparkling you found that day. You made sure he has his whole life in front of him, and still has his youth to enjoy. I’m not one for…” he cleared his pipes, “sappiness, but you clearly have made each other better. I feel happy just watching you.”
“His whole life to enjoy.” The mech repeated quietly, gaze slowly lowering to his sparkling. His door wings had slowed down, only fluttering every few nano-kliks whenever a breeze prickled by, but he was calm. “I cannot help but wonder who he will become. What he will be.”
Ratchet adjusted to squeeze the youngling’s servo in one hand and tip his helm against the mech’s shoulder. “If he is anything like his caretaker, then you won’t have to worry. He will be something exceptional.”
The mech didn’t doubt his sparkling would be, but he didn’t know if it’d be because of his own influence or because of all the wonderful bots surrounding him. Honestly, it was probably the sparkling’s own lovely and bright spark that would get him through.
“I can’t wait to meet him.” The mech murmured again, and curled around his youngling as he let the bliss of the moment overtake him.
(:)
Orion awoke with a start. The last flutters of his dream faded to obscurity as he slowly pushed himself off the berth.
It belonged to Megatron, but the older mech said he didn’t recharge much, anymore. The war against the ruthless Autobots took up too much of his time. Orion appreciated his generosity.
Leaving the berthing behind, Orion was unsurprised to find Megatron standing at his desk in his simple living quarters. There were a few chairs around, but none that he had ever seen Megatron use.
His partner looked over with a smile that didn’t quite grab hold of his eyes when Orion exited, turning away from his desk to cross over to Orion. Taking the archivist's servo, Megatron brought it up to his dermas to plant a kiss against it.
“It is good to see you recharged,” Megatron murmured around Orion’s plating, turning up to kiss his faceplate as well.
Something unsteady jerked through Orion’s tank, and he quickly held up his free servo to catch Megatron before the former gladiator made contact. The elder bot’s face soured, but Orion didn’t let up, even when the expression made him feel worse.
Clearing his pipes, Orion avoided his optics. “It is good to see you as well.”
“Yes.” Megatron scowled, withdrawing a few steps to turn and open up one of the cabinets. He pulled out two cubes of energon, handing one off to Orion and keeping the other for himself. “You should refuel. The work never ends, and you need your energy up.”
Orion took it. He stared into the depths of the blue energon, swirling it quietly.
Megatron’s silence was crippling. His partner was usually more vocal with him, at least kind enough to ask him how his recharge cycle went. Orion had been rescued for quite a few deca-cycles now, and Megatron still had yet to inquire of his well being in the littlest ways.
Naturally, Orion could understand why; he was nothing if not an understanding partner. Megatron was much too busy with the war against the Autobots to have another thing on his plate, even if that thing was not only a mech, but his partner.
Still, Orion pretended as though Megatron had asked him, or at least had shown a flicker of interest. “I had a dream where I had a sparkling.”
Megatron froze, eyeing him out of the corner of his optic. “Oh? Is that so? Do you remember his name?”
Orion frowned, struggling through the slag. He couldn’t remember if the sparkling was even a “he”. “I don’t know their name. They were just…”
Orion frowned at the energon, trying to figure out a defining trait. Already, his memories of the dream were foggy, scarcely able to remember any part of the youngling’s face.
And yet, the fact that he had a sparkling felt important, somehow. When Megatron had pulled him through the groundbridge after him, leaving the Autobots behind, Orion had thought he had heard a sparkling – his sparkling – calling out for him, too.
It had to mean something, didn’t it?
“They had gold plating.” Orion offered, though it was ultimately unhelpful. While not the most popular colour, it was by no means rare. Two other mechs worked at the archives alone who bore the colour.
However, Megatron seemed to consider the information, shoulders tensing and pistons hissing. “Gold plating.” Megatron repeated. Then he immediately shook his helm. “That… is unimportant, Orion. The guards outside will take you to your station. I’ll check on you when I get the chance.”
Of course. Orion should not have expected anything else.
Megatron didn’t even entertain it, even if it was a bizarre thing to mention. The elder cared little, if at all, for Orion’s thoughts.
A traitorous, mean part of Orion’s processor whispered “he only cares about what you can give him”, but he banished it as quickly as he thought it. Megatron was not like that. He simply remained busy.
Regardless, Orion released a quiet vent as he nodded his helm, downing the rest of the energon.
If he were being honest, the presence of the guards only brought up more questions. Having them accompany Orion everywhere, even though he knew the way to his station easily now, meant that either his partner was simply overprotective or he didn’t trust Orion.
Which was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Orion was devoted to Megatron, and had sworn to help him defeat Warlord Ratchet. He loved Megatron. He wouldn’t betray him, not for anything.
He just wished he knew what was going on in Megatron’s processor. Orion wished he knew why Megatron’s very presence made his spark tighten and Megatron’s touch made him freeze.
Perhaps it was just time spent apart, but even then it shouldn’t be affecting how Orion felt, should it? After all, to Orion it felt like a blink and then he was back at Megatron’s side. If Megatron’s feelings had changed, he would be upfront about it. He was always good at that kind of thing, at being direct, even when Orion failed.
His honesty was such a testament to his character, Orion was almost jealous.
“I understand,” Orion said instead of trying to bring up anything else, shoving away his insecurities and confusing thoughts to his subconsciousness. After all, it wasn’t Megatron’s fault he felt this way. “I will see you again soon, Lord Megatron.”
“Yes.” Lord Megatron said distantly. “I will see you soon, Orion Pax.”
The doors closed behind Orion, and he shuddered, the tone feeling like a plasma blade on his backstrut. He wasn’t sure why.
(:)
After solving the first three entries, Orion hit a rut. Despite Megatron’s very vocal musings, it wasn’t because of the “commotion” that Orion had heard later that same solar-cycle, though that had, admittedly, disturbed him for a while. Nobody explained what it was, and perhaps that was the most bothersome part.
He wished he could tell Megatron that the next entries were being solved.
Theoretically, after all, upon solving one, each following entry should become easier and easier to do. On the contrary, the first three carried the same coding layered on top of them. However, the Autobots were clever and did not reuse the same cipher for each record. If Orion had the authority, he would’ve ordered it done in the exact same way as the archivists had.
It was likely that each grouping of entries were given to a single archivist, ordered to code it as best as possible. Each group was unique, and therefore would be equally challenging to decode.
Perhaps it was luck that allowed Orion to get as far as he had with the first three. The others looked trickier, to the point where he wasn’t quite sure where to start.
“You need a break,” Megatron would suggest.
When that yielded nothing, the elder pushed a cube of energon towards Orion. “Perhaps a refuel will do you some good.”
Different attempt, same result, or lack thereof. “If you need to take a walk, just ask one of your guards, and I’m certain they could accompany you on a brief stroll–”
“Lord Megatron.” Orion interrupted. “I do not believe that any of these will yield faster results. The Autobots hid their tracks well, and I cannot be upset at them for it. It’s rather clever, if I may say.”
“Infuriatingly cunning,” Megatron hissed between clenched denta. “I suppose the Warlord Ratchet was… thorough in his attempt at stunting us.”
“I suppose so.” Orion said. “The best way to uncover the information is allow me to continue to work at it in peace.” Without you hovering, he pointedly didn’t say. From the roll of Megatron’s expression, hardening minutely, he heard it. “I’m sure I’ll solve it with a little more time.”
“Surely.” Megatron responded with a tsk and a pivot of his heel.
Orion focused on his studies, and tried not to think about how angry he had made his partner. Lord Megatron would understand once he gave it a few more nano-kliks of thought, he was certain.
For now, he only needed to wait his partner out and continue to decode the entries and not think about the fact that, only a few groons before, he had heard what must’ve been gunfire.
(:)
His doubt didn’t find a steady pedehold until after Starscream arrived. In a conversation no longer than two minutes, the seeker managed to turn everything Orion had come to know upside on its help, transforming it into something sinister. Lord Megatron only sometimes told the truth, backed by Starscream’s very presence.
“For if speaking the truth is deception, then we are gladly guilty…” Suddenly, Megatron’s etymology of their faction’s name could be nothing else but a falsehood.
Orion Pax felt like an idiot. A complete tool.
Because that was all he was to Megatron, wasn’t it? He was Megatron’s personal decrypter, set to dig through his codes – his stolen codes – and give them to Megatron, all enclosed neatly into a gift case.
Allowing himself to entertain the thought of “what if Starscream was lying” bore no results. Starscream’s reaction was far too sudden and alarmed to be faked. He really did think Orion was this “Optimus Prime”.
Only that sly smile, appearing only as the conversation continued, betraying the fact that he was starting to plot. Orion was… decently certain that Starscream had pivoted into manipulating the longer they spoke, but his surprise was genuine.
Megatron had started out manipulating.
“Orion?” Megatron’s voice asked, and it was only then that Orion registered that the door had opened a few nano-kliks before. The mech’s pedesteps echoed loudly across the floor as he approached, and before Orion could make any move, he planted his chin against Orion’s pauldrons and wrapped one servo around his waist.
Orion tried not to shudder. He tried not to.
“I’m so sorry for the recent commotion.” Megatron said, tone echoing in what could’ve been worry, but Orion suspected was prying suspicion. “You weren’t in any way harmed, were you?”
“No, Lord Megatron.” Orion reassured, forcing himself to relax. His digits tapped against the keyboard, ignoring the cold, the scraping claws, the– the–
He pressed on, refusing to allow himself to be bothered by how close Megatron was, or by the fact that Megatron’s armor felt like death. “But why did you tell me Starscream was dead?”
“Because he is dead to our cause!” Megatron hissed, yanking back with such suddenness that it sent Orion reeling. At least, however, he was able to turn around and watch the elder mech stomp away, irritation rolling off of him in waves. “Starscream was my most trusted lieutenant until he turned traitor and joined the Autobots! Never have I witnessed a more profound act of deceit.”
Right. Megatron only sometimes told the truth. What was the truth hidden in his words? It was likely that Starscream turned traitor, with how he acted and behaved. Even if he did join the Autobots, Megatron was clearly lying about his intentions when he accused Starscream of being “dead”.
Orion was having a hard time figuring out his motivations.
Megatron turned back around to face Orion, his optic ridge raised as he forced himself to calm down. “He did not… do or say anything troubling to you?”
“No.” Orion lied.
“Good!” Megatron straightened, turning his back on Orion.
Watching Megatron walk out of the room, Orion tried to see if there was any tension in his shoulders, any inconsistencies. It was undoubtedly still there, irritated at having been caught. Primus, Orion couldn’t believe he was even entertaining the idea of his partner lying to him, but there was no other explanation.
“Perhaps,” Megatron called over his shoulder, “it is best to forget the entire incident and return to your project!”
“As you wish, my lord.” Orion agreed. He kept his face neutral as best he could until the doors closed behind Megatron. Sour doubt curdled in his tanks, and he scoffed quietly to himself, turning back to his station.
The Iaconi records seemed so unimportant now. He wanted to search through the rest of the ship’s records, uncover exactly what Megatron was hiding from him. Or perhaps he would just reach another dead end, another branch of files sealed away.
To his annoyance, it seemed to happen a lot. As soon as he checked a file that he wasn’t given explicit access to, it took less than half a klik to be sealed off. It happened when he first uncovered the historical records regarding Starscream, although that admittedly took a little longer, as if they were caught off-guard by his investigation.
Orion did not consider it snooping, as they likely did, but satisfying his curiosity. If he wished to be of use to them, he had to know the history of the war, as much information as he could possibly get his servos on.
However, every attempt was brought to a sudden, hard stop. Orion was certain it was Megatron’s commander, Soundwave, who was stopping his attempts. If they continued cutting him off at the source, then he was sunk. He had no way of confirming Megatron’s lies or being relieved with the truth.
He was sunk, in a hopeless state of helplessness, with no way of…
Then again.
There was a possibility, slim as it was, that Orion’s dream was not just a dream.
He could have a sparkling, somewhere out there. If he had adopted one, taken it during the brief period between the Autobots kidnapping him and being put in stasis…
Or, worse, Megatron was lying about that, too.
The last… however long was missing, including his supposed kidnapping, and he hadn’t even considered an alternative. Why would Ratchet care to take his frame with him on their exodus?
And, if Orion truly had a sparkling, then his youngling would be the only one who could give him an answer for this situation. That was, additionally, if the little one had even survived the war.
There was only one way to find out.
Carefully, Orion opened up his system files that connected directly to his spark.
The fact that he had one spark bond open wasn’t all that surprising; he remembered being bonded to Megatron, after all. Except that the spark bond did not ring up as any type of endura bond, much less conjunx.
That was a sparkling bond.
He didn’t know how much he wanted to be proven wrong until it was dropped into his arms, and suddenly Orion wanted nothing more to do than purge.
Oh no. Oh, no, he had a sparkling. His youngling was somewhere else, not by his side. Perhaps he was with the Autobots, but he wasn’t… He wasn’t with the Decepticons, was he?
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sendinERRORERRORERRORERROR
Fermenting his terror, a wall had been thrown up between himself and his sparkling. While on his side of the line, the wall efficiently cut off all energy and emotions from traveling from either side, enough to tell a bond was there, but nothing else. It was a safeguard, he knew, and one that no other bot would have the capability to put up on his behalf.
The exception would be the mecha on the other end of the line, but if that were the case, Orion would be able to throw himself at the wall, claw at it endlessly, with no results. This wall, however, bent to his will. Whatever it was, whatever its purpose, Orion had made this. Consciously, no less.
Which meant he hadn’t been in stasis at the time of its creation.
Orion hated the walls’ existence, separating him from his youngling.
It was, thankfully, an easy fix.
Carefully, Orion lowered the walls between himself and the other. The intertwined strings of energy were quiet. On the other end of the line, the recipient had yet to realize the status of their bond had changed.
Orion stood there for a few kliks, allowing the tiny changes in the little one’s spark to wash over him. Soft wisps of thoughtfulness, determination, and adoration fluttered over just the same, barely enough to ping even the furthest recesses of his processor.
Orion wondered what his sparkling was doing and who they were to provoke such musings.
Most of all, he wanted to say hello.
Who are you? Orion wondered, finally managing to pour his confusion out over the bond. Where are you? What am I supposed to be?
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… confusionworryhope
The little one’s spark seized. Their end became cursedly quiet, and for a klik, Orion cursed himself for his lack of tact.
But then the other burst with a blast of emotions so great Orion could’ve choked on it.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… loveadorationsurpriselovegreetingsconfusionworrylovelovefuryworrylovelovelonelyhungryworryworryafraidscaredconfusionlovewor
Orion shoved up the wall again, vents heaving at the sudden attack and emotions too great to bear. Servo against his spark, he backed up an alarmed step, fighting against the rolling doubt and dread.
The computer glared down at him, constant red lights scrolling. The cameras lining the corners of the wall leered at him, staring directly into his spark, and all Orion could do was squirm.
Primus, it was all too much.
Somewhere out there, he had a sparkling who was scared and worried about him. And all Orion could do was grip the edge of the terminal and play the avoidance game. Talking to his sparkling was too much, but avoiding him accomplished nothing.
He wanted his little spark by his side, but at the same time the idea of it was overwhelming, and what he actually wanted to do was just go to Megatron’s berth and curl up to recharge. He wished Megatron were good. If his partner had never lied, if he had been open about Starscream, maybe Orion could trust him.
But if he lied about one thing, he would lie about others.
Orion needed his sparkling, and he needed answers.
Relowering the walls, Orion let the silence and reign over him for a few nano-kliks, feeling the sparkling’s misery waft over the bond. Carefully, Orion pressed through his own impression of an apology.
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… guiltguiltconfirmation
His sparkling’s response came almost immediately, but this time it was more quiet. Subdued. Orion could not begin to fathom how much he frightened his little one by suddenly disappearing.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… guiltreassurancelovecalm
Orion pressed back.
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… lovelovelove
He thought of gold armor, and wished he could tell his spark how beautiful they were. He couldn’t, though, so all he could do was remain sitting and feel the thickness of his sparkling weave around him.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… safeconfusionworry
Orion’s spark softened. Oh, his youngling was concerned for him. Orion shouldn’t have been surprised by that. While he may not know much about his situation, that much should have been obvious.
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… safeconfirmation
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… hungryconfusionworry
The door behind Orion chimed before it slowly slid open, and he ripped himself away from his bond with the bitlet, sending a quick farewell over the line. As he turned to face the newcomer, he was alerted to another ping of pure worry ripple over, but he forced himself not to pay attention.
Megatron’s frustrated optics bore into him. “Soundwave said you were showing signs of distress.” He huffed, still attempting to maintain a friendly tone, but Orion could hear right past it. “Is everything quite alright?”
“Yes.” Orion told him. “I simply reached a bit of a block with the Iaconi records. Perhaps you were right, and I need a bit of a break.”
Megatron’s gaze narrowed. “Of course,” he allowed, taking a step to the side to let Orion walk past him into the hallway. Almost immediately, two different guards flanked him, not touching him but pulling close enough that he did not have free mobility. “They will escort you back to our berthing.”
“Thank you, Lord Megatron.” Orion murmured, keeping his gaze straight ahead as the guards began to whisk him through the hallways. The sparkling was quiet, not purposefully shoving any emotion down the lines, but Orion could feel every prickle of fear and concern wafting off the younger.
“Here you are, Orion.” One of the guards said, reaching out a servo to open the door for Orion. “Have a good recharge.”
“Thank you,” Orion murmured back, stepping into the room.
Not for the first time, he wondered why every bot other than Megatron and Soundwave looked identical. He had yet to ask Megatron, a haunting feeling that Megatron would make up an excuse gripping around his spark.
They seemed like the soldiers made specifically to be cannon fodder in the historical files Orion had read at the archives. Cold constructs, fake sparks, sometimes separated to fit multiple vessels, infused with energy so they wouldn’t need a caretaker…
He didn’t want to believe that Megatron was like that, but every sign thus far seemed to point towards it. His sparkling’s very existence helped prove it, didn’t it?
Orion climbed into Megatron’s berth, laying down so he could stare up at the mech’s ceiling, the cold grey leering down at him.
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… guiltsafeconfirmationgreetings
Relief flared, the bitlet pulling his entire attention back to the conversation again as his own adoration swirled over once more. The sparkling kept a tight grip on his emotions, though, only letting a few through at a time, though Orion could feel the anticipation, the eagerness to reunite.
Once again, Orion found himself wishing he was better for the sparkling and had more for him.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… hungryconfusionworry
The sparkling repeated, letting the pang of hunger echo as they waited tensely for Orion’s response.
Orion felt something soft unspool within him again. He sent back yet another confirmation ping. Yes, he had maintained a fine refueling schedule. He was not hungry.
The sparkling next sent over a tremor of exhaustion.
Yes, Orion had slept well.
A quiver of cold.
He was maintaining his core temperature without issue. Megatron’s ship was certainly not warm, but he had provided enough fuel for Orion to produce his own heat without issue. The sparkling did not need to be afraid for Orion’s wellbeing.
Each confirming answer was met only by relief and kindness. Reassurance surged across the line, though Orion could not figure out what the youngling was trying to comfort him about.
Shouldn’t it be the other way around, with Orion offering his own open arms to the sparkling, letting his spark quietly wrap around the younger?
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… lovereassuranceadoration
Somehow, the sparkling’s spark only swelled more with pride and joy, twisting against him.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… safesafesafesafesafe
He repeated over and over, curling against Orion’s and basking in his embrace
The youngling’s spark spent the rest of the evening pulsing neatly right alongside his own. Orion fell into recharge to the feel of the sparkling’s giddiness echoing through him.
He could almost imagine the sparkling was in his arms. It felt like a dream.
(:)
The Iaconi records went abandoned by Orion the next day. He stood at the monitor, and pretended to work on them, but most of what he was doing was filling in nonsense and then pretending to be devastated as yet another “solution” failed, slipping from his grasp. Now that he had proof that Soundwave was monitoring him physically as well as digitally, he wasn’t going to let up his act for a nano-klik.
He wished he could continue diving into the ship’s files, but Orion knew better than to risk it.
Accompanying him through it, his sparkling was right by his side, pouring love against his spark over and over again. If Orion was being honest, he was worried the youngling had not recharged the night before. When Orion had awoken, the youngling had immediately sprung into being and sent him an overjoyed greeting, trying and failing to hide the undercurrent of exhaustion that was paired with it.
When Orion tried to ask, the sparkling just sent over more happiness, as if that would distract Orion from their apparent fatigue.
It didn’t take long for the sparkling to pull away, but it clearly wasn’t from them getting rest. They were clearly still conscious, just distracted. Determination and worry kept filtering through by accident, but Orion clung to them as if he could soothe them even as far away as he was.
I’m here, he wanted to insist. I’m here if you need anything. Let me protect you, let me help you.
He could not communicate all of that over the bond, so he settled for sending back some reassurance of his own at the little one.
Nothing changed until after his midday refuel, when Orion was starting to skirt the edges of the Iaconi records. Put as many solutions as he could into them without actually solving them, copying them down as subtly as he could into a harddrive. If he got the opportunity to escape, he would take it, but he could not risk the Decepticons keeping a servo-hold on such valuable records.
At least, not with Megatron at their helm and his intentions still painfully disguised.
What changed was a tinge in the sparkling’s field, in a different direction entirely from the previous morning.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… Direction Requested
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… Here!
Orion did not even think twice, sending it across the bond immediately.
Another confirmation ping, and then silence. Less than a klik later, the sparkling’s inquiry came from yet another direction.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… Direction Requested
Well. That was interesting.
What are you doing? Orion wondered, partially amused, the other part confused as he sent his location to his sparkling again.
Another few kliks passed, and then another request arrived, which Orion responded to rapidly. Understanding dawned on him as his sparkling went into his next period of silence, a small smile finding its way onto his face.
You’re doing triangulation, aren’t you? Orion realized. How smart of you, you clever little thing. You’re using a bridge to hop to different locations to narrow down my own. Did I teach you that? If not, who did?
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… Direction Requested
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… Here!
The door opened behind Orion again, and this time he did not even bother looking up, hearing Megatron’s heavy steps echo. This time, Megatron did not even attempt to touch him, hovering over his shoulder as Orion worked. Orion tried to focus on the keystrokes, ignoring the prickling weight of Megatron’s gaze on the back of his neck.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… safeconfusion
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… safeconfirmation
“It has come to my attention,” Megatron rather loudly announced, “that I perhaps have not been as patient as I should have been with you, Orion.”
“It is of no concern of mine,” Orion lied, hearing the way his own voice wavered, and for a nano-klik, he cursed his inability to deceive. But, then again, he never wanted to lie. Not to anyone, and certainly not his partner. But here, he had little choice. “I understand that you have been… busy. And I do not comprehend the scale of your stress.”
“And yet something is still bothering you. Is it about Starscream?” Megatron demanded, with a slight infliction in his tone that revealed that he knew it was Starscream’s fault. It would almost be humorous, if Orion did not feel found out. “I only lied about him because I did not want you to worry.”
“I’ll always worry.” Orion said, before he even realized what he was saying. “I have told you that, before we even conjunxed, when we were simply two friends with a dream. You take things too far, sometimes. You anger the wrong bots, and you refuse to find a diplomatic solution. I worry because I do not want you hurt or killed. I wish I were able to protect you.”
Megatron laughed, and the noise grated on Orion’s audials. His partner could be so calloused with his own emotions, and it broke Orion’s spark. He wanted to trust his partner. He wanted to rely on him.
But all he could remember were Elita-1 and Ratchet’s mutterings. “You’re going to end up hurt, Orion.” They both had said on more than one occasion. “That bot is not the type to protect your spark.”
Orion could not believe he had ignored them so severely.
“Come now, Orion!” Megatron chuckled, placing a servo on his shoulder. “Between the two of us, who is the warframe?”
“Perhaps my inability to fight is why it affects me so.” Orion said softly.
“You should learn to relax, Orion! Not a single bot has been able to land a servo on me, even through a millenium of war. You know me better than that to make such baseless assumptions.”
“Of course.” Orion inclined his helm, hating that Megatron had not even considered Orion’s feelings for a nano-klik. However, he knew now that was simply the norm.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… Direction Requested
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… Here!
Megatron took Orion’s chin between two of his digits, forcing Orion to turn his helm and look him in the optics. The archivist held as still as he could. “Orion, listen to me. If you want to help me, then you must prevent the Autobots from finding these artifacts. Do you know the best way to do that?”
Aghast, Orion stared at Megatron. He was not a newspark, unable to understand the nuisance. When Megatron needed resources for his political campaigns, to understand the grand world of politics that surrounded him, he came to Orion for help. To think so lowly of him now…
Orion could not wait until his sparkling found him. “Yes, Lord Megatron.” He dully responded.
“Good. Decode those files.” Megatron ordered. “As soon as you do, I’ll treat the both of us to some high-grade, and perhaps then we can spend some real quality time together. You would like that, wouldn’t you?”
Don’t bristle, don’t fight, it’s not worth it. “Yes, Lord–”
Interrupting the conversation, alarms started blaring, lights flashing and noises echoing through the room. Megatron recoiled, claw snagging Orion’s faceplate as he drew back a step to glare up at the strobing lights.
“I’ll be back. Do not leave this room, Orion Pax! That is an order.” Megatron hissed, digit already lifting to his audial as he pivoted on his heel to march away. “Soundwave, report! What’s going on?”
He did not bother to check if Orion was okay. The scratches left behind from his touch ached, and Orion could not tell if it was amplified by Megatron’s neglect or not.
Orion turned back to the terminal, completing the download of files into a secondary source, swiping it into his subspace and safely out of view. Whatever mech that did inventory would no doubt see the missing drive and would deduce what happened, especially if Soundwave did check backlogs.
With any luck, he would be far away by the time they did check. Not only was he fully aware his sparkling was coming, but he had a hunch that the alarms were somehow tied to the younger’s imminent arrival.
Please let it be true, was his silent prayer.
When the doors opened behind him again, Orion was ready. He turned, optics narrowed and ready to barge past whatever vehicion or Megatron who had come to visit.
Instead, between the flashes of red, as the room rightened itself to its normal colours for a brief nano-klik, he caught flashes of gold. Blue optics, the same caliber as his own, and doorwings that did not stop moving.
His sparkling. His, his!
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… lovegreetingslove
His arms were out before he could comprehend it happening, and the sparkling was breaking forward at record speeds, their own out as well. He wrapped his arms around the youngling, feeling their spark pulse too rapidly to be normal against his chassis. Churring out a beep in a language Orion did not know, the sparkling’s grip tightened.
“It is good to see you,” Orion whispered to the sparkling. “No– It is good to meet you. I’m sorry it took me so long to reach out. I was… manipulated and tricked. I did not know any better.”
The youngling beeped again, pulling back. Not far enough to be out of arms’ reach, though, and Orion adjusted to hold their faceplate instead, rubbing his digits over the sides of the young one’s helm.
“You’re beautiful,” Orion told them, staring at the way they leaned into his grip, optics half-lidded while still being so round and curious. It was way too familiar to be anything other than the truth. For once, Megatron’s lies seemed so much less important than the sparkling held gingerly between his servos now.
“I have spent so long thinking of you,” Orion hurried to explain, “dreaming of you, and now you’re here, at last, in my arms. Oh, little one… I want to hear everything about you.”
The youngling beeped out a quick few notes, brightening under his touch, studying him intently. Orion still didn’t understand their strange language. Was he supposed to? Before he lost his memories and everything was cast into shadow, would he be able to reply?
“I’m sorry,” Orion apologized, shaking his helm. “I do not… I do not understand you. I am not sure what you are saying.”
Beneath his touch, the youngling wilted, nodding their helm like Orion had confirmed something truly heinous. That was not Orion’s intention.
Before he could mourn it too deeply, however, the younger bot sobered. They reached up, grabbing Orion’s servo and squeezing it tightly between their own.
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… calmsafelove
“I trust you.” Orion told the little one honestly. “Whatever your plan is, I am with you.” He paused, and then added, “The triangulation was ingenious. Was that your idea?”
The sparkling swelled, the momentary sorrow immediately forgotten as they pressed a digit against their chassis, whirring out something gently. The pride was apparent.
Orion hoped that… whoever he belonged to, the Autobots, treated them with pride, too. He hoped that they had honored the bitlet for their ingenuity.
Clearly they had provided the means for the triangulation, because Orion doubted that the young one had been able to move between locations that easily without someone else manning the bridge for efficiency and speed. Regardless, he hoped his intelligence had been praised beyond compliance.
“You clever spark,” Orion murmured. “I am so proud of you, regardless of my memories of our relationship.”
The bitlet churred again, removing one of their servos from Orion to tap against their audial, beeping urgently into what must be their comms. Orion waited patiently, anxiety twisting its way through his spark. The sooner he was off of this ship, the faster he would find the answers he was looking for, he knew.
Whatever the sparkling was requesting, however, was left unfinished as the door opened once again, and Megatron filled in the space.
Orion barely registered Megatron was even there before the bitlet was whirling around, arms splitting with transformation seams and lifting, blasters bursting forth from under his plating.
Oh, Primus. Orion’s sparkling was a warframe.
He had already known that, deep, deep inside, but to see it in action… Something soft and warm sore through him, because on Cybertron, he never would have been permitted to raise one as his own. But just as quickly, cold horror snapped through him as he came to the realization that his sparkling was, without a doubt, afraid of Megatron.
Confirmed in one action, with one look. Despite how much Orion wanted to believe in his partner, he could not ignore this. He could not ignore the depths of his youngling’s terror.
Megatron took one look at the bitlet, and his expression immediately tightened. “Ah, scout. I should have known it was you.” He spat. “What a clever distraction, and yet, so tedious. You’re always causing problems, aren’t you? Orion,” the mech looked up at the archivist, gesturing sharply. “Step away from the sabatour.”
Orion’s spark twisted over itself, and he shook his helm sharply. “No, Megatron, I will not.”
As his sparkling looked up at him, their expression pinched. Field rippling with panic and fear, the youngling took a step in front of Orion, blasters raised.
Orion felt sick to his spark, but he knew he could not stop it.
“Orion Pax, come here.” Megatron seethed, his own seams splitting and transforming until his fusion cannon was pointed directly at the sparkling’s forehelm, already humming to life with bright, purple light. “There is no time for delay! I will protect you from that vile Autobot.”
“No.” Orion repeated more firmly, because clearly his first protest had fallen on deaf audials.
“What did he say that made you doubt me? Doubt us?” Megatron snapped and hissed, anger pouring off of him in waves. He thrust his field in their direction, covered by a thick blanket of fear that was so clearly faked, because right underneath it there was pure disgust. “Whatever it is, it is an Autobot trick! Do not back the enemy, come, and join me where you belong.”
“I believe I am perfectly content where I stand.” Orion pressed a smile onto his faceplate, peering down at the bitlet. “Right here, next to my sparkling.”
The youngling grew impossibly stiff.
Across from them, Megatron’s optics widened, his field growing thick with an emotion Orion could not put his digit on. “Orion,” Megatron sang, “Is that what he told you? That he was your bitlet? Please, Orion, don’t be ridiculous.”
“It is not fake.” Orion responded back, firmly. “I have felt it clearly.” He placed his servo over his spark, where its energy pooled out and flooded right into the bitlet’s.
“Don’t you know Autobots can fake sparkbonds?” Megatron demanded, the obvious lie spilling from his glossa so easily that Orion was nearly impressed. “No wonder you were having dreams about him. He manipulated you! How can you not see that?!”
“I was the one who reached out to them.” Orion responded back evenly. “The only manipulation in this room has come from you.”
“Oh? Is that right?”
“Yes, Megatron, I am afraid it is.”
“And you?” Megatron demanded of the little one, fire and wrath pouring down off of him, beating down on the small one’s frame. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
The youngling let out a beep, low and irritated, as Megatron snarled down at them. The sparkling’s blasters shook, but they did not fire.
“Ah-ah-ah,” Megatron snarked, denta baring even as he wagged a digit in the sparkling’s faceplate. “I’m afraid that won’t do. You’ll have to use your words, scout.”
Without warning, the youngling’s field buckled under an overwhelming mixture of misery, terror, and horror so quickly that Orion thought he would choke on it. He barely managed to hold out a servo to stabilize the bitlet when they took a staggering step backwards.
Megatron laughed. “Do not act so offended! You know that your inability to speak is your own fault. No amount of feeling sorry for yourself will bring it back.”
The youngling stabilized their blasters, huffing up at Megatron with a quiet rumbling of their vents. They didn’t blink as Orion stepped to their side, but still swept one arm backwards to shoo Orion into the safety their frame provided.
Orion hated it. Had he been the one to teach the sparkling to use themself as a buffer, a shield? He hoped not. Oh, Primus, he hoped not with all of his spark. But, then again, Orion was horribly useless in this situation. There was no way he could protect the little one instead.
As much as he wanted to argue, the bitlet was right. The most he could do in the situation was stay out of the way so that the little one did not also have to worry about him.
The sparkling beeped something else out quietly, as if speaking to themself, and Megatron’s expression pinched. “Repeating yourself does nothing,” he goaded. “You should know that by now! What do you possibly have to–”
Green light flared to life behind him, and Megatron’s sneering cut off suddenly, field slickening straight to dread. Orion turned to stare at the bridge as it solidified, warm and welcoming.
The tense silence lasted only three nano-kliks.
“Orion!” Megatron barked. “Don’t you dare! You do not know where it leads! The Autobots will capture you again, and I cannot lose you! I cannot–”
Contrary to Megatron’s demands, the sparkling’s field swelled with urgency. Their servo slipped from a fist to a desperate point, gesturing towards the portal. Obediently, Orion took a step towards it.
And yet, the bitlet did not follow him. Their pedes stayed rooted to their spot, cold determination dancing through their bond as they stared up at the fusion cannon, still pointed at their helm.
Oh, Primus, no, no–
“Little one, we need to go,” Orion pleaded, reaching out a servo for the bitlet. “We need to–”
SPARKBOND [bitlet(unavailable) > caretaker(Orion.Pax)] receiving… gogogogosafelovegogogocomfortpeacegogogogogogo
SPARKBOND [caretaker(Orion.Pax) > bitlet(unavailable)] sending… gocomelovepleadingcome
“Orion, if you leave,” Megatron snapped, his cannon beginning to whir again, furious and loud. “Your “sparkling” will not follow. Do you now see that I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep you here? To keep you safe?”
And yet, the youngling stood their ground, continuing to send commands through their shared bond, demanding Orion run. It pitched with misery when Orion made no more efforts to retreat, staring at the unfolding scene with sickening dread. The sparkling continued to make no move to retreat, despite their growing fear.
Orion had heard the pitch of Megatron’s fusion cannon too many times to not know what was coming. The nano-klik before it reached its peak, Orion felt something click into place in the back of his processor.
Before he could even process what he was doing, his servo was on the youngling’s shoulder, pulling him backwards behind him. His servo raised, catching Megatron’s cannon and forcing it towards the ceiling while his other split apart, his own blaster ramming against Megatron’s helm and firing.
A blast of sparks and the stench of freshly heated metal hit his olfactory sensor as Megatron recoiled, servos flying up towards his face.
What. What.
How had Orion–
He looked down at the blaster he now wielded, sitting where his servo once belonged. He was– Was he modded? He was certainly not a warframe, what was–
The sparkling screeched behind him, grabbing his untransformed servo and pulling him after him. The green of the bridge closed around them, and the last thing Orion saw before it closed was Megatron’s red optics boring into his.
And then everything was grey and silent as he stared at a wall of stone, the youngling frozen for just a nano-klik before they were wrapping their servos around Orion’s waist. Orion could do nothing but hold him right back.